


New Friend

by Arztwolf



Category: Girl Genius
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-28
Updated: 2015-07-16
Packaged: 2018-04-01 15:13:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4024654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arztwolf/pseuds/Arztwolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dimo, Oggie, Maxim and Douglas make Brodi a member of their pack.<br/>"All characters belong to the creators of girl genius."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Damaiuo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Damaiuo/gifts).



“Hoy, Douglas!”  
Brodi looked up from his soup and watched one of the wild Jaegerkin waving Douglas over to their table, Douglas answering his greeting as he hugged the short green one with the brown coat and yellow plumed hat. He sighed and went back to staring into his soup, a single tear rolling down his cheek and into his soup before he could wipe it away. Why did Douglas not look for him? Was the previous night just a result of the card game and nothing else? Seeing how happy Douglas looked as they talked and laughed, that was probably it. He lazily moved his spoon around, bits of meat and vegetables churning around in the already cold broth. He’d been so distracted by his own misery that he hadn’t heard Vole and Carlos sneaking up on him, he only knew they were there when his hat was yanked off.

“De funz about to schtart.” Maxim announced as he pointed over Douglas’s shoulder with his spoon. Douglas turned in time to see Vole kick the chair out from under him while Carlos held his hat just out of reach. All the other Jaegerkin in the dinning hall laughed and hooted at the show; Douglas turned back and saw that, thankfully, his pack looked disgusted rather than amused. As Douglas stood up, Dimo and the other’s joined him.  
“Ve vill helf hyu, brodder.” Dimo solemnly told him, taking out one of his throwing knives as Maxim drew his rapier and Oggie picked up his pole axe. Douglas drew his gun and smiled.

He gave Vole and Carlos several good scratches with his claws before the two overwhelmed him and he closed his eyes and curled into a ball. Over the sound of the grunts and kicks he heard the others laughing, the sound making him feel more alone than ever. He heard someone shout and all of a sudden the blows stopped. Cautiously he lifted his head a little and was amazed at what he saw.  
Vole and Carlos stood with their hands up as Douglas aimed his gun at Vole’s head and the three wild Jaegerkin pointed their weapons at Carlos.  
“Don’t be schtupid,” Douglas warned.  
“Ve’re juzt havink zome more vun vith him, vhy hyu care?”  
“He eez one of uz.”  
The wild Jaegers, along with Vole and Carlos, stared at him in shock.  
“He eez?” Oggie looked from Dimo to Maxim.  
“Yez, he eez.” Dimo agreed with Douglas.  
Seeing their resolve to defend him, Carlos and Vole backed down. It would be suicidel to take on five Jaegers trying to protect one of their own. Both left with looks of disdain on their faces; Why the hell would they want HIM in their pack?  
“Hy-Hy-Hyu vant m-m-me?”  
Douglas knelt by his side and, grabbing his hat from where Carlos had dropped it, gently placing it back on his head for the second time in two days. He then helped the beaten Jaegerkin to sit up, Brodi whimpering at the pain caused by his many bruises.  
“N-Not j-joke?”  
The question made them all concerned; How many times had the other Jaegerkin told him he was one of them only to reject him, laughing at him when they revealed it was a joke? How many times for him to have to ask that question?  
“Not joke,” Douglas said as he pulled Brodi into a hug, not minding the soup and blood that got on his uniform. Brodi buried his face in Douglas chest and started to loudly sob.  
Oggie sniffled and wiped his sleeve across his eyes. He could not imagine would life would be like if he didn’t have Maxim and Dimo to talk to and snuggle with at night. Poor guy, he thought.  
“How old eez hyu?” Maxim gently asked as sat on the ground next to them, reaching over and rubbing his back.  
“9-9-98” Came the muffled reply.  
“He iz juzt a pup.” Dimo shook his head sadly. “Poor ting.”  
“Letz get hyu cleaned up, zhall ve?” Douglas asked him as he helped him to his feet.  
“Y-Y-Yez, ple-ple-pleaze.” Brodi kept his face buried in Douglas’s coat as they made their way down the hallway, the wild Jaegers trailing behind.

Once they got to the room all four shared, Maxim pulled Douglas aside and talked to him for a minute. Douglas nodded and walked over to where Brodi stood near the fireplace.  
“Maxim vanted to know eef hyu had anytink een de barrackz hyu vould like him to brink hyu?”  
Brodi blushed and told him what it was and where it was hidden.

An hour later Maxim returned with a quilt wrapped bundle and a rucksack. Brodi thanked him and layed the bundle on the bed, unwrapping it to reveal his bow, a quiver full of arrows, and a well loved toy rabbit. He picked the rabbit up and buried his face in its soft, bedraggled fur. When he was sure the other Jaegerkin in the barracks were asleep he would take the rabbit out from its hiding place under a floorboard and hug it, remembering all those nights spent snuggled up with his siblings, his parents tucking them in and kissing them good night. Sometime’s he’d even remember the scent of his mother’s perfume.  
“Mo-Mommy,” he whispered into it’s soft fur, unable to keep the loneliness at bay any longer. Tears began to roll down his cheeks as he sat on the bed and hugged the rabbit.  
“Vhat’z vrong?” Oggie asked as he sat next to him.  
“Hy-Hy me-me-mees dem.” He choked out.  
“Vho?”  
“M-My va-vamily”  
Oggie put an arm around the upset monster and pulled him close. “Ve can be hyur vamily, eef hyu vant.”  
Brodi looked at each of them in turn, still in shock that anyone would want him. It’d been so long since he’d felt he belonged anywhere.  
“Hy-Hy do.” He said, Oggie kissing the top of his head.  
Brodi’s stomach growled and he blushed.  
“Vhen vaz de lazt time hyu ate?” Douglas narrowed his eyes at Brodi.  
“D-Dis m-mornink.”  
“Vhat und how much?”  
“B-Bite o-of br-br-bread be-be-before zomeone t-took eet.”  
“Dimo, could hyu?”  
Dimo nodded and left the room in search of something for Brodi to eat, thinking bout how he wanted to mangle all the Jaegerkin that that did this to him.

“Hyu vere hungry!” Maxim said approvingly as Brodi licked the bone from the ham clean.  
“T-Tank hyu, D-Dimo.”  
“Hyur velcome, keed.” Dimo said as he pushed the brim of Brodi’s cap down, Brodi playfully swiping at him.  
Oggie tackled him and the two playfully rolled on the floor, Brodi truelly enjoying himself for the first time in years.

That night they pushed the two beds together and all five of them piled on like a big pile of deadly puppies with Brodi in the middle. He buried his nose in Maxim’s hair as Dimo held him tightly. He had found his pack at last.


	2. Abandoned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brodi get's left behind in the woods by his pack and Douglas and Da Boyz rescue him.

“V-V-Vait!”  
Brodi called out as he coughed and fell to his knees. His squad kept going, getting farther and farther from him. He collapsed onto his side; feverish, he panted as sweat streamed down his face. Too weak to even stand, he layed on the ground and whimpered. 

Douglas and the boys were in enjoying drinks together when the door opened and the squad that Brodi belonged to came laughing and rough housing into the bar.  
“Hy bedder get him zomezink to take de chill off.” Oggie said as he stood up.  
“Vait a zecond.” Douglas held up his hand.  
The squad were all seated around a table, minus Brodi. Douglas stood up and walked toward Brodi’s commander, a tall, muscular Jaegerkin with jet black hair. 

“Hoy, vhere’z Brodi?”  
The table went quiet and their leader turned to look at him.  
“Vho?”  
“De schmall blue Jaegerkin vith de bow.”  
“Oh, de leedle archer! He got zick und ve left him in de voodz.” The orange Jaegerkin said nonchalantly, throwing back his beer.  
“Vhy deed hyu leafe him?”  
“He vaz zick, ve deedn’t vant dot leedle runt making uz zick!”  
Douglas grabbed the monster by the lapels of his coat and dragged him to his feet.  
“Where deed hyu leafe him!?”  
“Out in de voodz, by dot beeg oak tree!” The monster shouted as Douglas tossed him back down into his chair before storming out the door and taking off at a run.  
“Vhat eez hiz problem?” The monster asked da boyz as they headed out after him; Maxim turned to them and growled, all seven of the Jaegers involuntarily cringing. 

“BRODI!”  
Douglas yelled as loud as he could, his keen ears and those of his pack all pricked for the slightest sound.  
“BRODI!”  
Dimo sniffed the air, but the cold, wind and rain made finding a scent trail and following it almost impossible. He hoped they’d find the keed alive.  
“Over here!”  
Dimo turned and followed the others as Douglas headed off towards a long oak tree. 

Douglas saw him first. “Shit!”  
He ran over to the prone form as fast as he could, only slowing down when Brodi coughed.  
“Brodder, are hyu hokay?”  
“Zi-Zi-Zick.”  
“Ve’ll get hyu zomevhere varm und dry.” Douglas told him as Oggie passed him his warm, fur lined coat and he wrapped the shivering Jaegerkin up in it before scooping him up and carrying him like a child, Brodi’s eyes closing as his mate carried him home. 

Once they got back Dimo, Oggie and Maxim went up to the table to have a “discussion” with Brodi’s troop while Douglas took the ill Jaeger to the room they all shared. The crashes, bangs and screams of pain proved that the boys were getting their point across. 

Douglas quickly got him out of his wet clothes and tucked him in before rummaging through the trunk at the foot of the bed. He came back with a bottle of medicine and a spoon.  
“Vake up, Brodi. Come on, vake up.”  
Slowly Brodi opened his eyes and stared up at Douglas as his mate reached down and stroked his cheek.  
“Take dis.”  
Douglas said, offering the spoon with a dose of whatever foul stuff was in the bottle. Brodi did as he was told and grimaced as he swallowed it.  
“Dot bad? Zorry, pup.”  
Douglas apologized with a laugh as Brodi feigned dying by retching and grabbing his throat.  
“Vill make hyu feel bedder though und zo vill dis.” Douglas said as he reached under the bed and handed Brodi his rabbit.  
Brady smiled and happily hugged it as the rest of their pack joined them. 

“Any schtill livink?” Douglas asked the three disheveled Jaegerkin.  
“Yez, but dey vish dey veren’t!” Oggie giggled.  
Maxim walked over to the bed and looked down at Brodi, who had gone back to sleep with his face buried in his rabbit’s fur.  
“How eez he?”  
“Ve got to him juzt een time.” Douglas told him as Dimo and Oggie joined them.  
“Poor ting.” Oggie said as he looked down at Brodi.  
“Ja, Hy can’t believe dey deed dot.” Maxim sadly shook his head. “Dot vas zo cruel.”  
“Und Hy hafe a feelink dot vas not de firzt time.” Dimo sighed.  
“E-E-Eet va-va-vasn’t.”  
They looked down and saw Brodi awake and looking up at them. “Vo-Vonce Hy br-br-broke m-m-my l-leg und cr-crawled beck.”  
Dimo growled and closed his eyes while the other three lowered their ears at the idea that Jaegerkin could do this to one of their own.  
No wonder he clings so tightly to me at night, Douglas thought sadly.  
“Hy-Hy v-vish Hy c-c-could j-join hyu g-g-guyz.” Brodi spoke wistfully, hating how he was stuck with a troop who wanted nothing to do with him.  
The only time he got to see them was at night, the rest of his days were spent with jerks who thought he was too stupid to do anything and spent most the time acting like he wasn’t even there, the days they weren’t playing mean pranks on him or laughing at him, that was.  
“Dimo, zince hyu eez General, can hyu make dot happen?” Oggie asked.  
“Yez, Hy can.” Dimo said, excusing himself to go talk to Brodi’s commander, Oggie and Maxim going with him to give Douglas and Brodi some time alone together.  
When he saw the three leaving, Brodi looked to Douglas in panic.  
“D-D-Don’t-“  
“Hy’m not Brodi, Hy’m not.” Douglas reassured him as he crawled into the bed.  
“B-B-But hy’m z-z-zick a-a-aren’t hyu-“  
“Zcared of a few germz? Hy’m not goink to leaf hyu like doz jerkz deed, Hy know hyu need dis right now.”  
Brodi nodded as tears welled up in his eyes as he hugged Douglas tightly. Douglas returned the hug as the younger monster sobbed loudly, all the pain and misery that he’d kept hidden rushing out.  
When the others came back Douglas was stroking Brodi’s hair while the Jaegerkin sniffled and nuzzled his throat.  
“Eetz done.” Dimo spoke softly.  
“Goot.” Douglas smiled.


	3. Stopping the Bullies.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vole and Carlos attempt to get even with Brodi, with disastrous results.

“How hyu doink, sveetie?”  
Brodi looked up at Douglas as the yellow monster stared down at him with concern.   
“A-A-A leedle be-be-bedder.” Brodi responded, a coughing fit catching him off guard.   
“My poor leedle one.” Douglas cooed as he knelt by the bed and held Brodi’s hand. Brodi purred at the way Douglas was treating him, the way he stroked his cheek and had run a brush through his hair this morning. The memory of his mother doing the same things made him stop purring and tears well up in his eyes. Douglas stared at him as tears silently ran down his face.   
“H-Hy meez my-my Mudder.”He sobbed matter of factly.   
Not saying a word Douglas got up and sat on the bed next to him and gathered him into his arms. He began to rock him back and forth, whispering soothing words into his ear. As the sobs began to lesson Douglas rubbed the miserable Jaegerkin’s back. He’d spent the past two days, feverish and coughing, barely able to eat or sleep. Now, as he was being held, his stomach growled.   
“Vhould hyu like me to brink hyu zomezink to eat?”  
Brodi nodded and Douglas got up and left, the absence of his mate, for even a short while, would bring back the memory of the day he was given the Jaegerdrought and left to die. Knowing Douglas would come back, unlike those long ago men, he settled back down onto the bed and closed his eyes. 

He woke up growling when his ears picked up the sound of voices outside the door and his nose picked up the scent of unwelcome visitors; Carlos and Vole. He closed his eyes and waited for the two to come in.   
“He’z azleep und alone!” Carlos whispered to Vole, the latter keeping back from the door in case other, healthier, Jaegerkin waited inside.   
Carols opened the door all the way and the two silently crept in, Carlos untying the length of chain he’d wrapped around his body. Vole removed the club from his belt and both stalked towards the bed, Vole ready to bash him unconscious and Carlos to tie him up. The two were planning on kidnapping and torturing him, paying him back for the humiliation his friends and he had caused them. When they got within several inches of the bed and Vole raised the club, Brodi opened his eyes and leapt up, snarling and fighting for his life. 

As Douglas made his way back balancing a heavily laden tray, the sounds of a violent skirmish caught his attention. At first he thought it was two drunken eediots at each other’s throats over an insult, than he heard Vole’s unmistakable howl of pain.   
“Brodi!” Douglas quickened his pace, setting the tray outside the door before barging in.   
Carlos was laying in the corner bleeding profusely from several deep gashes, while Vole ran around in blind panic with Brodi clinging to his back, the younger monster attempting to tear out his throat. Walking calmly over to them, he grabbed Vole by the arm and, as Brodi jumped off, swung him forcefully into the wall, the pale Jaegerkin falling to the floor in a daze.   
“Vhy are hyu two here?”  
Carlos had already scurried bleeding out the door, leaving Vole to his intended victim’s protector.  
“H-He’z crazy!” Was all Vole could stutter out as he tried to get up and follow Carlos. Douglas grabbed him by the throat and put his face within an inch of Vole’s.   
“Vhy.Are.Hyu.Here!”  
“Ve vas juzt goink to zcare him und den he vent vild und tried to keel uz und-“  
“Zcare him vith a chain und club?”  
Vole actually got paler than Douglas thought possible, given his natural complextion. With a feeble apology he got up and bolted from the room. Douglas walked over to were Brodi stood leaning against the wall, sweaty and pale faced.   
“Letz geet hyu beck to bed.”   
Nodding, Brodi allowed himself to be led back to the bed and tucked in, Douglas retrieved the tray and the two had a hearty dinner, never to be bothered by Carlos or Vole again.


	4. Brodi's Calling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brodi finds his something that makes him happier than ever.

By the next day Brodi felt strong enough to get out of bed and leave the room, the day after that he was able to sit outside and watch Maxim exercise his horse. Seeing the powerful animal completely under the control of the willowy Jaegerkin made him long to be able to do that, to not be so clumsy that everyone laughed at him when he tripped over his own feet or attempted something new and failed miserably. Maxim noticed the wistful look on Brodi’s face and steered his bay mare over towards Brodi.  
“Vhould hyu like to geet on?”  
Brodi nodded and walked over as Maxim dismounted. Holding the reins, Maxim gave Brodi a leg up and watched as he got comfortable in the saddle. When Brodi nodded Maxim began to walk the horse, Brodi clinging to her mane as he got used to the swaying motion of her gait. After several wide circles Maxim stopped and looked up at him.  
“Vould hyu like to go faster?”  
“Ye-Ye-Yez!”  
With a smile Maxim began to jog, the horse trotting to keep up. Brodi laughed as he watched the world speed by, the wind blowing through his hair and the warm feeling of the horse against his legs made him feel more alive than he had ever felt.  
Douglas, Oggie and Dimo stood watching them, Douglas happy that Brodi had found something he could obviously enjoy.  
“Dot eez de happiezt Hy’ve ebber zeen him!” Douglas told them.  
“Hy tink he haz found hiz callink.” Oggie said in awe; the once timid, lonely and fearful monster replaced by one that actually wanted to live. Dimo and Douglas nodded as they saw the truth in his words.


	5. Archery and Apples

Brodi dug his heels into the gray gelding’s side, urging the horse on as he drew his bow and notched an arrow. Closing one eye he pointed the bow at the target and let the arrow fly. Dimo, Douglas and Maxim closed their eyes and awaited carnage.   
“Goot shot!” They opened their eyes to see the apple split in two and Oggie licking the juice off his face as the horse charged by.   
Oggie reached down and picked up what was left of the apple, wiping it off on his coat before wolfing it down.   
“Dot vas disgustink! Und look at hyur hair!” Maxim scolded him in disgust, the thought of someone WILLINGLY allowing another person to mess up their hair beyond his understanding. Oggie flicked the seeds off and shook his head, showering Maxim in apple fragments.   
The horse smelled the apple and, as Brodi was attempting to dismount, trotted over to see where the tasty food was. The sudden movement sent him off balance and Brodi fell to the ground as the horse reached Oggie and started licking and attempting to eat his hair.   
“Hyu hokay?” Douglas asked as he helped Brodi up. Brodi nodded and the two watched as Dimo and Maxim attempted to save Oggie’s hair from the hungry horse.   
“Y-Y-Yez.” Brodi laughed as the horse lost interest in Oggie’s hair and went to crop some grass.   
“Geet avay from me!” Maxim yelled as Oggie attempted to dry his horse saliva covered hair on Maxim’s cloak.   
Brodi collected his horse and he and the others left Oggie chasing Maxim around the field.


	6. Apple Pony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maxim helps Brodi find a mount and the results are not what he had in mind.

“Too beek, too beek, too beek. Dis ees goink to be hart.”  
Maxim muttered under his breath as the liveryman led them through his stables. The man had started to become annoyed and Brodi had picked up on it.   
“Ma-Ma-.”  
Brodi’s stuttering was the straw that broke the camel’s back. “What the hell kinda horse does this simpleton need!?”  
The man immediately regretted his words as Maxim whirled around and slammed him against a stall door, the horse rearing in terror.   
“He needz a horze he can geet on und von’t hurt him!” Maxim yelled, punctuating each word with a slam.   
The man nodded his head and hurriedly led them towards the end of the barn. He silently pointed at the last stall before bolting.   
“Coward.” Maxim said in disgust.   
Brodi walked over to the stall he had indicated and looked in. At first he thought it was empty and the man had played a trick on them, but a sound made him look lower. A red roan was staring at him eye to eye, it’s forelock puffy and almost standing straight out from its head. Maxim walked up behind him and took one look at the pony and snorted in disgust.   
“Dot man iz goink to die!”  
“N-N-No, Hy-Hy-Hy l-l-like e-e-eet.”  
“But eetz a pony!”  
Maxim gestured at the small, round animal.   
“M-My p-p-pony.”  
“Does dis one hafe a name?”  
The man, standing at the other end of the barn, shook his head.   
“Hyu geet to name eet, keed.”  
“Ap-Ap-Apple.”  
“Apple!? Vhy Apple?”  
Brodi held his arms out to mimic the roan’s round appearance.   
“Dot eez de-“  
Brodi barred his teeth and lowered his ears.   
“Hokay, Hokay!”  
Maxim backed up slowly and went over to talk to the man, Brodi staying behind to pet and hug Apple.


	7. Leedle Vildcat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brodi uses his claws and teeth when he is attacked.  
> "Mama Gkika, Dimo, Maxim, Oggie and Zudock belong to the creators of Girl Genius*

Brodi didn’t see the Jaegerkin’s outstretched leg till it was too late. With a yelp he dropped the plate he’d been carrying and fell hard to the floor, injuring his wrist in the process.  
“Hoy, dis eediot zcuffed my boot!” The big red Jaegerkin held up his leg.  
“Ja, he deed, Gorf!” His smaller green companion agreed.  
Both of them glared at the now cowering Brodi.  
“Come here, hyu leedle-“ Gorf reached to out to grab him, not expecting what happened next.  
“ARGHHH!” Gorf howled as Brodi’s little fangs pierced his hand.  
Gorf’s crony kicked Brodi in the side, causing Brodi to double over as more Jaegerkin gathered around to watch the fun.  
“Look vhat dis bastard deed to Gorf!”  
Gorf held up his hand for all of them to see, trying to incite them to help him “punish” Brodi. As the bar’s patrons closed in on him, Brodi lowered his ears and bared his teeth while his tail swished angrily. He got him some more good bites and lacerated several with his claws before he was overwhelmed. He covered his face and whimpered as blows, food,and beer rained down on him.  
“SCHTOP DOT AT ONCE!”  
The crowd froze and backed up as Mama Gkika plowed through the crowd, tossing Jaegers out of her way.  
“Vhat iz goink on here!?”  
“Juzt a brawl, Mama.”  
“Juzt a browl? Zince vhen iz gangink up on a much zchmaller Jaegerkin a “brawl”?”  
The crowd back up even further as Mama advanced on a terrified looking Gorf. 

“Ve should of brought him vith uz.” Douglas complained for the hundredth time as they came back from the hunt they’d been on all morning. It was now two in the afternoon and all five of them were tired.  
“Vhy? He don’t like to keel tings und he iz schlow.” Dimo, rolling his eyes, reminded him.  
“He gotz a horze now.” Maxim told him from where he sat on his own, leading a pack mule loaded down with the morning’s catch of deer, pheasant, rabbit and wild boar.  
Right as the group came within site of Mama Gkika’s, Gorf, a Jaegerkin they’d pegged as a bully, came flying through the plate glass window.  
“Vonder vhat he deed now?” Oggie laughed.  
“Probably got too rough vith one of her gurlz!” Zudock punched his arm and both laughed harder.  
“Und get!” Mama yelled as she walked out of the building.  
“Boyz, hyur friend got beat up goot.” She told them as she went back in to tend to him.  
“Hy told hyu!” Douglas snarled at the others as he dashed in after her. 

Brodi lay curled in a ball amid upturned tables and chairs, Mama Gkika, her mother bear instinct in overdrive, knelt down next to the whimpering monster.  
“Eetz hokay, leedle one, dey iz gone.” She softly crooned as she picked bits of food off his clothes.  
He opened his eyes and sat up as Douglas arrived at his side.  
“D-D-Douglaz!” Brodi sobbed and clung tightly to his protector.  
“Hy’m zo zorry, ve shuldn’t hafe left hyu behind.” Douglas apologized with tears in his eyes.  
The others watching from the door also felt a pang of grief at having left such a vulnerable Jaegerkin all by himself.  
“Hy’m an eediot.” Dimo growled as he clenched his fists, eager to fight the ones who had done this. 

“Shh, shh, etz hokay, shh.” Douglas soothed his mate as he carried him back to the room. “Hyu got several of dem goot.”  
“H-H-Hy d-d-deed?”  
“Ja, Mama haz a whole line of customerz to patch up. Hyu iz a vicious leedle vildcat!”  
Douglas growled playfully as he nuzzled Brodi, who laughed and kissed his cheek.


End file.
